Today's increased demand for wood products, coupled with unbridled deforestation, has led to a scarce supply of timber sources. Many species of majestic rainforest trees are endangered or are approaching extinction. In addition to a reduced supply of trees, many trees traditionally coveted for their wood take many years to reach maturity. Thus, even if these trees are replanted, it will take many years to replenish the supply. This scarcity of natural wood may be particularly noticeable in those industries that rely on the particular aesthetic and structural qualities of the natural wood, such as the wood flooring, furniture, building materials or other wood industries.
Substitutes for natural wood can include, for example, plywood, particle board, and the like. However, many of these substitutes are derived from natural wood but do not have visual or technical attributes of natural wood. Furthermore, they may not address the issue of finding and maintaining a sustainable raw material supply for the future.
One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that a hemp stalk consists of an outer layer (typically called the Epidermis), a first inner layer (typically called the Bast Fiber), a second inner layer (typically called the Hurd or Core), and a hollow inner core.